2009 Carlisle All-Truck Nationals

The 19th Annual Carlisle All-Truck Nationals was held August 7-9 at the Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Fairgrounds. Billed as "one of the largest specialty, off-road and collector truck oriented events in the world," all elements of truck culture were in attendance. What's pretty much unique to this event is its scale and scope; some 2,000 trucks attend from all over the Northeast.

1/31Brian and Stacie Barrick's laid-out '56 Chevy Stepside sets flush with the earth. Options include a custom sassafras wood bed, a boxed and C-notched frame, a Fatman Fabrications IFS clip, a 283ci small-block Chevy with a 3.73 gearset and a posi from a Nova SS, a stainless exhaust, 18-inch wheels, and a big-window cab plucked from a GMC.

If there is such a thing as a melting pot of truck subcultures, this is where things get cooking. Truck lovers of all types can get a healthy dose of each other. It's not unusual to see a classic truck parked next to a frame-dragging mini truck or a sky-jacked rockcrawler. And it's also not unusual to see owners of these different genres checking out each other's vehicles and asking questions about features.

Judging from some of the vehicles in attendance, there's some good cross fertilization of ideas going on. From the standpoint of custom classic trucks, a number of former S-10 mini truck owners are moving their arts to older metal. And some classic truck owners are incorporating some of the engineering found in late-model frame draggers.

It's clearly a two-way commerce of ideas. Twenty-inch Budnick wheels on an air-bagged '65 Chevy Stepside. The owner of an old-school '48 Chevy with leaded-in '53 Buick headlights and a '55 Caddy grille being quizzed about his build by a group of tricked-out, sky-jacked late-model truck owners. A former trick mini truck owner's '65 Chevy C10 "rails on the ground, build-in-progress" is repeatedly visited by classic truck builders. This is a venue that stimulates a healthy exchange between genres.

2/31Originally a 11/2-ton hay truck with a 20-foot flatbed, this '48 Diamond T cab is mounted on a '76 C10 frame and is powered by a 355ci Chevy hooked to a 700-R4 tranny.

Those interested in having their vehicle(s) judged will find a transparent, point-based system that is professionally handled. Those simply wanting to bring their truck to the show for a great weekend will totally enjoy the event. There's plenty to see and do with a massive swap meet with tons of old metal, vendors' exhibits and venues including monster show trucks and rides, the famous Carlisle Burnout contest, a Beauty contest, the Carlisle Truck Tug-O-War, rockclimbing exhibitions, and off-road time trials. This show is clearly one that needs to be experienced. For more information about the 20th Carlisle All-Truck Nationals to be held on August 6-8, 2010 check out www.CarlisleEvents.com.